Gold-separator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets;-Sheet 2.

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GOLD SBPARATOR.

No. 496391. Patented May 2,1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT MONROE BAIR, OF LITTLETON, COLORADO.

GOLD-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,391, dated May 2, 1893.

Application filed December 17, 1892- Serial No. 455,423. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT MONROE BAIR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Littleton, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gold-Separators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to flumes for washing and separating gold, and my object is the provision of apparatus having greater washing capacity, greater efficiency in separating and saving the precious metal, and in every respect more satisfactory and serviceable than the washers and separators that are in common use. These objects are attained in the apparatus having the construction and combination of parts hereinafter specified, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view in the nature of a diagram. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe first flume section and a portion of the second section. Figs. 3, 4t and 5 are transverse sections of each of the flume sections. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a riffle used in the latter.

In carrying my invention into practice, I employ several connected flumes or flume sections arranged in line with each other, through which the ore is passed, which sections have some features in common and some differences, the differences being such as to adapt each particular section to the condition of the material to be operated upon at the time that it reaches the section. The first section, A, into which the water is discharged, comprises simply a U shaped or semi-circular shell, of suitable length, and numerous parallel, longitudinally extending round rods a placed a slight distance apart on the inside of said shell. From this section the ore passes into the second section, which latter is also U shaped or semi-circular in cross-section, and is provided with the longitudinally extending parallel rods a placed within a shell B having numerous perforations, and which in turn is inclosed by a piece of Brussels carpet 6 ar-.

form or table 0, that from a point immedij ately beneath the transverse center of the section, inclines downward on both sides. Of course each succeeding section is so much larger than the preceding as to admit the end of the latter being inserted therein. To avoid any obstruction at the junction of the two sections, the rods of the entering end of the preceding one are attached to the upper face of a metal band D, while the adjacent ends of the rods of the succeeding section are covered by a metal band D. Each section excepting the first is supported by springs that cause the same to vibrate under the jarring caused by the passage of the ore, 850. This spring supporting of the sections may be accomplished in-various ways by both coiled and flat springs, employed either together or sepabe passed through the fiat spring and provided with thread to receive a handled nut 6 In addition to supporting the flume part of the third section, the carpet holding platform is mounted on coiled springs f.

In some instances, according to the nature of the gold to be recovered, instead of the third section described, I may use a section forming a flat bottomed or rectangular flume instead of a round,in which the longitudinal rods a, will all lie in the same plane, a horizontal one, and which may or may not have a perforated section corresponding to the shell B, and which will have as a riffle, instead of the pile fabric, a plate B having transverse cleats or pockets, in the form of circular or straight depressions.

ICO

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: As the water and gold bearing material passes along, the latter will be screened by the lougitudinally extending rods, by the passage of such fine material between them as the spaces will admit, and said rods will also greatly conduce to the efficient washing of the passing material, in View of their arrangement in a semi-circular or U shaped form, because the more soluble and lighter material will be carried off before reaching the bottom of the fiume to which the heavier gold tends. The round shape of the flume also materially aids in the collection of gold at its bottom. Such particles of gold as pass through the perforated shells of the sections will be deposited in the pile of the carpet I), orin such other riiiier as may be employed, which will be provided with mercury for amalgamation. I employ the flat platform section described, as a substitute therefor, because the extensive spreading surface thusfurnished insures the recovery of the precious metal, which the precedin g sections fail to collect. Owing to the spring supports for the sections, the vibration of the latter due to the jarring effect of the passing material, will materially help the separating process. It will be seen that this vibration is wholly automatic. The pile fabric (Brussels carpet), is placed a short distance away from the perforated shell, say, an inch and a half or two inches, so that the water will spray through said shell onto the carpet, and beat the deposited gold into the pile of the latter. It will be noted that the two outer lower edges of the platform 0 areturned up, which is done 1 to prevent the passage of material off the There the amount of sand is great, or 1 same.

for other reasons it is necessary, the spaces between the rods a may be reduced by en1- ployin g several rows or tiers of rods, arranged so that the rods of one row will be opposite the spaces between the rods of the other.

Of course I do not wish to limit myself to the number of sections employed, as this may be varied, according to the length of the flume desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the semi-circular sections having rods extendinglongitudinally within the same, of the table yieldingly supported and provided with a pile fabric cover, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the semi-circular sections having rods extending longitudinally within the same, of the table yieldingly supported and provided with a pile fabric cover, and inclined in opposite directions from a central line, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an ore separator, the combination with the semi-circular sections of gradually diminishing size, the one extended within the other, and each having longitudinal rods, of the spring supported table beneath one section and having a covering of :pile fabric, as set forth.

4. The combination with a semi-circular section having perforations, of the longitudinals rods within said sections and a covering of pile fabric arranged with its pile toward the interior of the section, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

